Half to james f



(No Model.)

B. PRESTON. GAME APPARATUS.

I I%% m Patented Feb. 12,1895.

w'nesses.

EDWARD PRESTON, OF FITOHBURG,

PATENT OFFICE.

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JAMES'F. BOYLE, OF SAME PLACE.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming pant of Letters Patent No. 534,080, dated February 12, 1895.

Application filed A g st 28, 1894- To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD'PRESTON, of Fitchburg, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Game Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel game apparatus adapted to be used for a number of different games without necessitating the use of separate pieces of apparatus, the invention relating more particularly to that class of games including a board or surface upon which the game is to be played by the movements of a series of pieces thereon, according to certain rules.

In accordance therewith my invention consists, in a game apparatus, of two connected shell-like body portions having a flat outer surface upon which a cruciform checkerboard is delineated, the endmost arms thereof having four rows of eight squares each, and the side arms two rows of eight squares each, an-extension hinged to the outer side of each portion and having flush upper surfaces to complete the playing surface, and two rows of eight squares each delineated upon the upper surface of each extension to conceal the adjacent side arm on the connected body portion when turned over thereupon, substantially as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a top or plan view of a game apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite or under side thereof; and Fig. 3 is an end view of the apparatus, with one of the extension pieces turned over.

As herein shown the main or body portion of the apparatus consists of two oblong shallow, shell-like boxes a, 0., preferably hinged together at their adjacent inner sides at b, Figs. 2 and 3, so that they may be folded together when not in use, as is common in checker and backgammon boards, the ends and adjacent sides on the under side of each tion.

Serial No. 521,530- (No model.)

forming three walls of each box or body por- At the outer side of each box I have secured, preferably by hinges, extensions 0, 0, extending the length of the box, and flush with the top of the two boxes when unfolded or extended, as shown in Fig. 1, the width of the extensions being sufficient to make the playing surface a square. I produce upon the fiat surface thus made, a checker-board or series of squares d, d, of contrasting col ors, the said checker-board being cruciform in arrangement, and as shown in Fig. l the main or central portion 1, 2, 3, 4, contains sixty-four squares, eight on each side, while each arm A, B, O, D of the cross contains four rows of eight squares each. The total number of squares is thus one hundred and ninetytwo.

It will be seen by comparing Figs. 1 and 3, when one of the extensions, as c, is folded over, as shown in full lines at theleft of Fig. 4, that thirty-two squares, or one arm of the cross Will be covered, and if both extensions are folded over sixty-four squares, or two arms 0 and D,will be covered, and by such manipulation the apparatus is adapted for use by from two to four persons, the board being shown in Fig. l as adapted to a fourhanded game of checkers.

Each player moves his pieces across toward the opposite boundary of the board, or to the side boundaries, as desired, the arms A, B,C, D, supplying the extra playing surface made necessary by doubling the number of pieces. If three are to play, one of the extensions is turnedover, as at c Fig. 3, and the players have their pieces arranged at the boundaries of the arms A,B and 0, each player being allowed to move his pieces toward the field of either of the other players.

Should two wish to play, both extensions are turned over, and each one arranges his pieces in front of the extensions, playing in the usual manner.

By increasing the central number of squares and the number in each arm, the cruciform arrangement being retained, the game of chess may be played instead of checkers.

The bottoms of the body or shell-like portions 0. and a are divided as shown, into triangles 6 and e of contrasting colors, so that,

the ordinary game of back-gammon may be played thereon, the extensions 0 and a forming the outer walls of the box portions.

The apex of each triangle toward the center of the board is provided with a peg hole 9, as shown in Fig. 2, and a series of five peg holes f and f is made in the board, the apices of the triangles having numerals from 1 to 6 adjacent thereto so arranged that the sum of said numerals, in both boxes on the side of one player, will equal forty-nine.

A game played with dice and pegs, called Forty-nine can be played, the winner be ing the first to reach a central peg hole f according to certain rules.

The under sides of the extensions 0 and 0, shown in Fig. 2, are each divided into twelve rectangles c", 0, each rectangle having ten holes a therein, arranged in two rows of five holes each, and there is a single hole at each end, as 0 the said sides being in the similitude of a cribbage-board, so that if desired the top of the apparatus may be used as a table for the cards, and the turned over extensions used in counting for cribbage.

One of the extensions, as c, is provided with an eye a, to be engaged by a hook h on the other extension 0, so that when the body portions a and a are folded together they may be retained in that position, cards, dice, or other implements of the game being held therein.

It is obvious that other fastenings may be used, and so too, the portions a and a might be rigidly held together in open position, though such arrangement is not preferred as the apparatus takes up more room.

I claim- 1. In a game apparatus, two connected shelllike body portions having a fiat outer surface upon which a cruciform checker-board is delineated, the endmost arms thereof having four rows of eight squares each, and the side arms two rows of eight squares each, an extension hinged to the outer side of each portion and having flush upper surfaces to complete the playing surface, and two rows of eight squares each delineated upon the upper surface of each extension to complete the side arms when extended, each section being of sufiicient width to conceal the adjacent side arm on the connected body portion when turned over thereupon, substantially as described.

2. In a game apparatus, two connected shelllike body portions having a flat outer surface provided with a game configuration upon which a game may be played and open sides, and an extension hinged to the outer side of each portion and adapted to be turned over upon and to cover a portion of the outer surface, and when extended forming side walls for the shell-like body portions, the under side of each extension having a series of rectangles and peg holes therein, and adapted to be used whether said extensions are folded over upon the body portions or extended, substantially as described.

3. In a game apparatus, two connected shelllike body portions having a flat outer surface with a checker-board configuration upon which a game may be played, and open at their outer sides, the ends and longitudinal adjacent sides of said body portions upon their under sides forming three walls, a second game configuration delineated upon the under surface of said portions, and an extension hinged to the outer side of each body portion to form when extended the outer side wall upon its under side, to thereby complete two boxes in which the secondgame is played, the upper surface of the extensions having additional squares thereon to adapt the game configuration upon the outer surface of the body portion for three or four players, when extended, substantially as described.

4. In a game apparatus, two connected shelllike body portions having hinged outer walls, adapted when extended to form a fiat continuous surface upon which a cruciform checker-board is delineated, two series of triangles delineated upon the bottom of each body portion, a peg hole at the apex of each inturned triangle, and a separate series of holes adjacent the side Walls, and between the series of triangles, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWVARD PRESTON.

Witnesses:

J AMES II. MCMAHON, MICHAEL F. MCMAHON. 

